


what a beautiful start to a lifelong love letter

by darlingjustdont



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, a lot of quoting their own lyrics, literally the fluffiest thing in the world soz, so does Liam, zayn cries tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-19
Updated: 2015-06-19
Packaged: 2018-04-05 02:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4162938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingjustdont/pseuds/darlingjustdont
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>The best days are the ones when Liam wakes up next to Zayn. </em>
</p>
<p>A lazy morning with nothing to do are Liam's favourite. Especially when his boyfriend's in bed with him too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	what a beautiful start to a lifelong love letter

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote all 3k of this on the plane on my phone. Inspiration struck and I tapped away. Unbeta-ed because I'm trash like that. Consider this an apology for anything sad I right, okay??
> 
> I don't own any of the songs mentioned or quoted in this. 
> 
> title taken from "I Choose You" by Sara Bareilles 
> 
> Enjoy xx

The best days are the ones when Liam wakes up next to Zayn. (He had said this to Louis once and had been thoroughly laughed at.) But there was something that made anything bearable when he had the memory of Zayn's sleep-soft smile fresh in his mind.

He forgoes the usual run this morning, the sky outside too nasty for his liking. Usually he gets up early enough to take a few laps around the neighbourhood and slide back into bed before Zayn's awake. But not today. He burrows farther under the covers and watches the boy beside him.

It's one of his favourite pastimes, honestly. Zayn is beautiful.

He can tell when Zayn starts waking up because he frowns slightly, always disliking being drawn into consciousness. Liam thumbs at the crease between his eyebrows until it smoothes away. Zayn slowly blinks his eyes open, expression a mix between grumpy and confused until he sees Liam.

"Good morning," Liam says quietly and Zayn sighs in response.

"You're not sweaty and gross," Zayn mumbles as he pushes his lips into a pout. "Why are you not sweaty and gross?"

"Stayed in bed today."

"Are you sick?"

Liam chuckles and presses a kiss to Zayn's forehead and then his eyelids. "No, babe. I just didn't feel like jogging when it's pissing outside."

Zayn hums and curls closer, resting his face in the crook of Liam's neck. Smoothing a hand down Zayn's back, he turns his lips towards Zayn's head. Zayn sighs again, a happy and content sound. Liam agrees.

"S'nice."

"Nowhere to be," he replies. "We haven't had that in a while." Zayn shushes him and he can feel his breathing getting deeper. "Are you going back to sleep?"

"Mmmm." Zayn fumbles with the covers and draws it up until it's settled around their shoulders. Liam hums under his breath. Zayn freezes.

"Are you honestly singing "Change Your Ticket" right now?"

"Maybe."

"Bit cheesy, love. Serenading me with our own song."

Liam sings the bridge back to him and Zayn laughs before overriding him.

"Not fair," Liam says. "You've switched to "No Control" now."

"S'more accurate," Zayn says, shifting until he's straddling Liam instead. He rolls his hips lazily and grins down at him. "The nerve of Louis, writing about morning wood. Eleanor's got him whipped."

Liam shrugs. "It's Louis."

"You helped though."

"Not my proudest moment."

Zayn laughs and shifts on top of him again, grinding against him. _"I'm all yours, I've got no control-"_

Liam flips them until Zayn's under him and clicks his tongue.

"Please don't sing that when you're trying to get me off," he groans, nipping an admonishment on Zayn's jaw. "Management will have my head if I get a boner every time we preform."

"All the more incentive, then. _I could stay right here and burn in it all day-"_

Liam shuts him up by kissing him hungrily, slotting his lips against Zayn's and pressing so there's not an inch of space between their bodies. Zayn makes a pleased noise, licking into his mouth and sliding his fingers into his hair. He tugs, making Liam shudder.

"I love you," he mumbles against his skin.

"You just love me for my body."

"Not true," says Liam, kissing his neck. Zayn smirks and plays with his hair until Liam bites down. Then he whimpers, tightening his grip until it's almost painful. Liam pays more attention to the spot, sucking until he's satisfied there will be a lovely bruise. He doesn't have to be careful; it'll fade before they have to emerge into public.

Zayn sighs and pulls him up for a long kiss until they're barely able to breathe, panting into each other's mouths. His lips move slightly when Liam pulls away.

"What are you singing now?" Liam asks, resting his forehead against Zayn's. Zayn crosses his eyes briefly, making him giggle, and reaches up to trace Liam's face. They're close enough that they're breathing each other's air and it's so heavy with emotion that Liam shivers.

_"So baby hold on to my heart. Need you to keep me from falling apart. I'll always hold on, cause you make me strong,"_ he almost whispers, eyes alight. Liam understands. Louis wrote that song for Eleanor, but _he_ could've wrote it for Zayn.

_"Don't look around cause love is blind and darlin' I can see you,"_ he breathes back and Zayn flinches, a hurt look flashing across his face.

"Please don't," he whispers and shakes his head. "That's not true anymore."

"I still can't believe you-"

"No," Zayn says, fingers pressing against Liam's mouth. "I don't want to talk about it again. Please."

Zayn looks so upset that Liam let's it go. It's an old conversation, anyway, one that's been had several times over. So he darts his tongue out to lick at Zayn's fingers, making Zayn wrinkle his nose.

"That's gross."

He just grins and sucks his fourth finger into his mouth, sucking at it gently. Zayn watches him, eyes going dark as Liam runs his tongue over the pad of his finger.

Liam pulls away with a slight pop, smirking as he presses his lips to Zayn's palm and then moving up. He kisses him again, sweetly, and Zayn whines when he doesn't let it get heated.

"Fucking tease," admonishes Zayn and he bites down on Liam's lip.

"We were having a relaxed morning."

"Yeah and there's nothing that will make me more relaxed than a blowjob. So that's not really an excuse, is it?" Zayn raises an eyebrow as Liam slides off of him and onto his side. Zayn shifts as well until they're facing each other. "You don't have to look so bloody smug."

"I have everything to be smug about, though. I have the Zayn Malik, renown sex symbol, in my bed."

Zayn snorts. "I knew you only loved me for my body."

"Now that's not true. I love you for a lot of things, your excellent blowing skills, for one."

Tilting his head to one side, he lifts an eyebrow. "And what else?"

"Your amazing talent, your huge heart. The way your tongue pushes up behind your teeth when you grin. The look you get when you've figured something out or when you're amused by the smallest thing." Zayn flushes and Liam touches his fingers to his cheeks, enjoying the heat. "I love your blush when I compliment you, and how you never seem to expect praise, even though you deserve every bit. And more, really. I love how sweet you are to anyone that needs it and how protective you are of anyone you love."

"Including you," Zayn says quietly and Liam nods, making a snap decision and preparing himself. Now or never.

"I know. I love the way you love me, and believe I can do anything. You love unconditionally, Zayn. Here, sit up for a moment."

Zayn does and Liam leans over to the small side table and rifles through the drawer.

Zayn frowns and tugs on their entwined hand. "What are you doing?"

"Hold on." He straightens and takes a deep breath. "You are my everything. I can't imagine my life without you anymore."

"Liam..."

"My heart's yours. Zayn. Completely yours. We're not perfect, but as long as it takes I'll prove my love to you. I'm not scared, not with you next to me, and I can't think of anything better than being your other half." Zayn's crying now and Liam is too, but he hardly cares. It's not important to him, nothing is important to him except the boy sitting in front of him and the ring clenched tightly in his fist. "What I'm trying to say is will you marry me?" He opens his hand and shows him the ring inside. Zayn stares down at it and then looks at him.

"You fucker," he chokes out between his tears. "I can't believe you fucking proposed in bed."

Liam pales and closes his fingers. "Oh, fuck. I didn't think- I'm sorry. I can do it properly, like get on one knee and shit, but I just thought- shit, I'm sorry."

"Will you bloody shut up for a moment?" He flips and reaches under his bed, pulling out a shoe and digging around in it. Finally he pulls out a small box and thrusts it at Liam. "Louis has been after me to just do it already for ages."

"Ages?!" he says and it comes out as a squeak between his tears and his surprise.

Zayn blushes again and swipes at his cheeks with a hand. "Ever since we were on tour, yeah. I was going to do it at the last show, but like, I started thinking you wouldn't like such a big gesture-"

"I would've liked anything you did."

"-and I chickened out and I just didn't ever have the chance and you bloody proposed in bed after we've just woke up and it's perfect, fucking hell I'm crying again. I hate you so much."

"You don't mean that," Liam says thickly and Zayn looks up. His face softens and he pecks him on the lips.

"No, no of course I don't. You're just so bloody perfect and thoughtful and I'm going to be your husband."

"Well, maybe. You haven't said yes yet."

Zayn surges forward and nearly knocks Liam to his back, clambering into his lap and snogging him thoroughly. His mouth is insistent and wild, hands cupping Liam's jaw and pressing into his cheekbones. Liam gets over his shock after a moment and kisses him back just as desperately. He settles his palms on Zayn's hips, feeling a rush at how well they fit there, and pulls him forward until their bodies are flush together. He can feel his heartbeat and he's sure Zayn's has the same erratic rhythm. It's a rush, and Liam's head is spinning with it, thinking we're going to get married over and over again.

He laughs into the kiss and Zayn laughs back. They're feeding off each other's joy and becoming giddy with it until they're no longer able to kiss. Liam drops his head onto Zayn's shoulder and shakes with laughter, echoing Zayn's movements. His fingers rub at the back of Liam's neck, running over the knob of his spine and dragging down the length of his back. Liam slides his hands to press against Zayn's stomach, feeling him breathe.

"Was that enough of an answer?" Zayn asks after they've collected themselves and Liam nods against his collarbone.

"I love you."

"You've said that already."

"Doesn't make it any less true," Liam answers him, pinching gently at his side. Zayn squirms and nips at his ear, soothing the sting with his lips after.

"Cause nobody loves you the way I do."

Liam groans and kisses the curve of his neck. "Can we stop with our songs? I'm tired of them."

"What do you suggest instead?"

He tips forward until Zayn's sprawled on his back and Liam's sprawled on top of him.

"We can use our mouths for better things," he says, rucking up Zayn's shirt and fitting his lips against the tattooed ones on his chest. Zayn chuckles and Liam can feel it vibrate. He moves down, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses to his skin and cataloging every little sound Zayn makes. He licks a line across his stomach, grinning when his muscles tighten at the touch.

"I bet I could still sing while you're blowing me," says Zayn, a little breathlessly.

"Hmm, I'll take that bet," Liam says. "What do I get if I win?"

"I'll blow you."

"I don't think that's quite fair."

"Fine then," Zayn huffs, breath hitching as Liam licks a little lower. "If you win, I'll marry you."

"And if you win?"

"You have to marry me."

"I like that. I like that a lot," Liam muses and hopes Zayn can feel him smile. Zayn pushes gently at the top of his head, impatient.

"Well then, get on with it."

 

Later, when they're loose-limbed and blissed out, clutching at each other's shirt, Zayn breathes out something.

"What was that?"

"I can't believe you're my fiancée."

Liam stills and turns the word around, testing it in his mouth and loving it with every repeat.

"Fucking amazing."

"Innit though," Zayn says and Liam sighs, sliding his hand into his fiancee's.

"Oh shit," he says, bolting upright. "Oh shit, where'd the rings go?"

Zayn cranes his neck to look up at him, brows furrowing and then widening apart when he realizes. He then sits up too and starts patting the bed around them furiously. Liam climbs out and takes the duvet with him, shaking it out. They freeze, listening for the clatter of metal on wood. Nothing.

"Fuck," Zayn hisses, and Liam can see he's starting to get frantic. "Where the hell did they go?!" He flips the multiple pillows on the bed. "Why do you have so many pillows?"

"S'comfortable," Liam mutters but goes to help. He slides his hand under one and is rewarded by the cool feeling of silver. "Found 'em," he cries and Zayn lets out a breath in relief.

"Which one was mine?"

"The one that's in the box, babe."

"Oh. Right." He hands the box back to Zayn and pinches his ring between his fingers. "What's the protocol for this? I mean, I've already proposed. Do I just give it to you or should I ask you again...?"

Zayn rolls his eyes and plucks his ring out. "Give me your hand." Liam does, and he pushes the ring down past his knuckle until it's nestled at the base of his finger. "There." He gives it a kiss before he lets Liam copy him.

Liam laughs when he sees the little Batman symbol etched into the band.

"Really, Zayn?"

Zayn grins at him, nose wrinkling and tongue pressed to his teeth. It's Liam's favourite smile. Well, tied for favourite with nearly all his others. It's a very close tie; Zayn's smiles are incredible.

"You're my Batman. My hero," he teases, flicking Liam's nose.

"And you're my jaan," Liam says simply and Zayn smiles down at the sunshine pressed into his ring.

"We know each other too well."

"It's a good thing we're getting married, then."

"Yeah," he says and kisses Liam once more.

 

Harry's keen eyes spot the rings almost immediately the next time they all gather together. He looks from Zayn to Liam and back again, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Well fuck me sideways," he announces and Zayn makes a face.

"Please don't," he whispers to Liam and Liam suppressed a giggle.

"Look at the fiancees!"

Niall and Louis' heads snap up at that and there's a second of silence before it descends-as most things do with Louis around-into chaos.

"What?" screeches Louis, his voice going up three decibels and two octaves.

"Fucking finally," says Niall at the same time.

"Who proposed? How did it happen?" asks Harry

Liam blushes as Zayn fiddles with his ring.

"Liam did. Yesterday morning."

"Ha!" crows Niall, twisting to point at Louis. "You owe me twenty quid!"

"That's why you kept pressing me to propose?" Zayn shouts and Louis shrugs.

"Maybe?"

"Arsehole," he says but there's no heat to it. Louis laughs and launches himself at the two. Niall and Harry follow almost immediately.

"I'm so happy for you," Louis says as he pecks them both on the cheek. "Also if you didn't get engaged soon I would've had to kick your ass."

"That took way too long," agrees Niall and Liam rolls his eyes.

"When did you expect us to get engaged then?" he asks.

Harry grins. "Probably the day you met, if we're being honest. We all knew it was just a matter of time."

"You have been practically married since the X-Factor, anyway," says Niall. "I had to sit through all those bloody sonnets about Zayn's perfect eyes and Zayn's perfect smile and 'Niall, did you know that Zayn had a motto for each day and he's perfect?' Fucking hell, it was awful."

Liam flushes again and punches him in the shoulder. "I think you're exaggerating there, mate."

"He's really not," Louis says and Zayn echoes his smirk. "But then I got all that about Liam when Zayn was stoned and without a filter. He had some pretty creative thoughts about your muscles."

"Dick," mutters Zayn and tucks himself closer to Liam. Louis pinches his chest as punishment. "You can't be my best man any more."

"Who's going to plan your stag party then?"

"Harry, you can."

"Sick," Harry drawls over Louis squawks of protest.

"You're going to have Harry plan it? We'll be dead of dullness before midnight."

"If Louis gets to be in charge of the stag party then I get to be in charge of music," says Niall.

"What are you to do about names?" Harry asks. "Liam'll have to take Zayn's name because Zayn Payne is bloody awful."

"Thank you, Harry," says Liam sarcastically.

"He's got a point, though. It's a right problem," Niall says and Louis chimes in as well.

"Liam Malik has a nice ring to it."

"Can we talk about this later?" Liam complains, pushing at the boys. "Let's just celebrate the fact that we're engaged."

"Finally," adds Zayn.

"Finally," chorus the other three, wearing identical grins. Liam looks at them all and then at Zayn, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Finally."

 

They get married in autumn, on hiatus, on the coast. It's a small reception, even with all of Zayn's extended family present and their band's entourage. It's perfect. All the three boys are their best men-unconventional, but there's not so much traditional about them anyways.

And if it's weird that their first dance is to "Strong", no one says a thing, quieted by the absolute bliss on the faces of the newlyweds. There's not a dry eye among those gathered. Zayn and Liam don't notice, too caught up in each other.

And Liam realises that he'll get to wake up to Zayn every morning for the rest of his life. He can't wait.


End file.
